LINGERIE SHOPPING GUIDE

Lingerie Buying Tips:

Let’s begin with the fun part — which kind of sexy are you?

What’s Your Look?

There are many sides to every woman, but in lingerie styles just as in shoes, hair color and reading material, each lady has a favorite type. Is your dresser drawer awash with white cotton? Red lace? Silky black maxi gowns or, oh my, leather and latex?

Deciding what you feel sexiest (and most comfortable in) is a logical place to start when planning your look. It’s pretty simple to figure out and will help you narrow down your options. So, what’s your best angle of seduction?

Demure — You feel sexiest in white and pale pink, and you like to leave a lot to the imagination. What he doesn’t know can only excite him. Look for white cotton trimmed in lace, full-coverage tops and bottoms, and luxurious jersey knits that just barely graze your curves. Cami sets, knee-length gowns, and subtly sexy, soft cotton chemises — possibly with a dainty floral print all girly and bashful — are nice options here.Elegant — You’re as classically stylish in your underwear as in your full-length, black cashmere coat, Hermès scarf and tall boots. In lingerie, this can mean a lot of silk and satin in dark tones, and nothing too sheer — it’s nice to keep a little under wraps. Consider tap shorts, a satin corset set, black demi bra and bikini panties, or a very low- cut, full-length gown. Pointy-toe high heels, thigh-high stockings and garters can take the look up a notch.Effortless — You’re casual, no-nonsense and possibly sporty in your dress, and you love all that is seamless and neutral. Comfort and ease are crucial: You feel your sexiest there, lounging barefoot and fresh-faced. Some options here include clingy one-pieces, simple, silky teddies, boy-short sets and long, jersey column gowns.

Playful — You’ve been known to wear skirts with knee socks and never shy away from a fun print. Your underwear might have polka dots and your nightgowns could be short, pink and ruffled. Try a mini, body-con chemise, boy shorts with crop top, or stretch-silk mini with bandeau in pink or red — it’s Valentine’s Day, after all. Opaque, printed thigh- highs can complement the look.Risqué — You don’t shy away from leather, and you may have a French maid costume stashed in your sexy drawer. To you, there’s no such thing as over-the-top, and garters are one of the tamer items in your repertoire. Consider leather bustiers, string thongs, and teddies and bra-and-panty sets with cut-outs in all the right places. Over-the-knee boots can be a great finish.

Of course, there’s nothing wrong (and so much that’s right) with trying something new, so if you’re feeling bold, go for it. Just make sure it’s a style you’ll feel confident and comfortable wearing, since that’s the quickest way to sexy. If you feel equally comfortable in more than one category, just pick whichever look you’d like to master this Valentine’s Day, and embody it.With your angle of seduction in mind, your next stop is the lingerie Web site, store or catalog, where you’ll implement the next bit of knowledge that will help you look your sexiest.

What’s Your Shape?

Not everyone can pull off every look, and the quickest way to feeling un-sexy is to wear something that highlights an area you view as a problem spot. This doesn’t necessarily mean covering up, although that’s an option. It may just mean working with colors, patterns and proportions to accentuate the positive and downplay everything else.

In this way, lingerie is no different from any other clothing category: Certain cuts will flatter your body type more than others.

Pear — You’re larger on bottom than on top. To make your body look more evenly proportioned, you want to do two things: Minimize the bottom, and draw the eye up.

Avoid: boy shorts, thongs, garters and baby dolls

Look for: bustiers, long gowns with a flowing skirt and low-cut top, and loose, mid-length chemises with detailing up top

Apple — You’re biggest in the middle. You want to downplay the tummy area and draw attention to your bust and legs.

Inverted Triangle — You’re bigger up top or broad in the shoulders and narrower in the hips. Your goal is to balance that out by adding volume below the waist and drawing the eye down.

Avoid: any fancy detailing up top, puff sleeves or racer-back cuts

Look for: full-skirted gowns, wide shoulder straps and anything that add draping over the hips and derrièreBoyish — You’re pretty much straight and narrow from top to bottom, with a small bust and hips. You want to create the illusion of curves by adding volume on the top and bottom and drawing the eye to a narrower waist.

Hourglass — You’ve got ’50s pinup proportions, with a small waist and larger, roughly equal bust and hip measurements. Your goal is to play this up for all it’s worth.

Avoid: Nothing.

Look for: Anything.Hourglass is the shape the lingerie companies have in mind for most of their designs, so if that’s you, you’ve got a lot of options that will flatter you figure.Women of other shapes will have to be more selective, and guess what: If you’re still not completely comfortable, even in your ideal va-va-voom look, you don’t have to wear it on its own! While bathrobes are definitely out, lingerie robes are definitely in. They are our very good friends. Wrap yourself in something long, flowing and sensuously silky, and leave the rest of the goodies for the dark.

Remember we are here to help. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or suggestions. We are highly skilled at working with different body types. We have a thorough understanding of our different Vendors sizing and will make sure we find you the best style and fit possible. Now matter what the bottom line is that YOU feel good about how you look and we are here to help!